Rate Modelling

1. An apparatus for determining a rate to be applied in respect of a data set comprising a value for at least one variable attribute in an electronic system or process, comprising: an input ( 105 ) for receiving the data set; a rate modelling component ( 115 ) arranged to store a model comprising: (i) data ( 205 , 210 ) defining a rating space having at least one dimension defined by an attribute of the electronic system or process; (ii) a rating vector definition comprising at least one rate parameter; and (iii) data ( 225 , 230 ) which defines distinct regions in the rating space ( 205 , 210 ) over which the defined rating vector is invariant, and which defines the respective invariant rating vector ( 235 ) for each distinct region; and rate determining means arranged, on receipt of the data set, to identify a corresponding one of the distinct regions ( 225 , 230 ), the respective invariant rating vector ( 235 ) and hence the rate to be applied in respect of the data set.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: calculating means for calculating an output ( 110 ) in respect of the data set by inputting one or more rate parameters ( 235 ) of the identified invariant rating vector into a predefined formula ( 220 ).

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the model further comprises a rule ( 205 ) for selecting a predefined formula ( 220 ) in respect of the data set from among a plurality of predefined formulae ( 220 ).

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in (i) the rating space ( 205 , 210 ) is defined in terms of an orthogonal set of attributes of the electronic system or process.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the model further comprises at least one rule ( 205 ) for selecting an appropriate rating space ( 205 , 210 ), from among a plurality of rating spaces ( 205 , 210 ) defined in the model, on the basis of at least one attribute represented in the data set.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: an interface ( 120 ) to the modelling component ( 115 ) for processing data received at the interface and for making corresponding updates to the model, wherein the received data are formatted according to a pre-defined markup language and wherein different data elements of the pre-defined mark-up language relate to different entities within the model.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the predefined markup language is defined according to the extensible markup language standard.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the defined rating vector relates to the rate of utilisation of one or more resources associated with the electronic system or process.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the defined rating vector relates to a tariff to be applied in respect of use of the electronic system or process.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1 , for use in determining a rate of utilisation of a resource in respect of a product or service.

11. A method for determining a rate to be applied in respect of a product or service, comprising: (i) defining a rating space ( 205 , 210 ) having at least one dimension defined by an attribute of the product or service; (ii) defining a rating vector comprising at least one rate parameter; (iii) determining distinct regions ( 225 , 230 ) in the rating space ( 205 , 210 ) over which the defined rating vector is invariant and defining values ( 235 ) for the at least one rate parameter in the invariant rating vector for each distinct region ( 225 , 230 ); (iv) for a specified instance of the product or service, identifying a corresponding one of the distinct regions ( 225 , 230 ) from (iii), the respective invariant rating vector ( 235 ) and hence the rate to be applied.

12. A method according to claim 11 , further comprising the step: (v) using the respective invariant rating vector ( 235 ) in a predefined formula ( 220 ) to calculate an output ( 110 ) in respect of the specified instance of the product or service.

13. A method according to claim 11 , wherein at step (i) the rating space ( 205 , 210 ) is defined in terms of an orthogonal set of dimensions for the product or service.

14. A method according to claim 11 , wherein the rate relates to the rate of utilisation of a resource in respect of the product or service.

15. A method according to claim 11 , wherein the rate relates to a charging rate to be applied in determining a price for use of the product or service.

16. A method of generating a model of rates to be applied in respect of a product or service, comprising the steps of defining, in the model: (i) a rating space ( 205 , 210 ) for the product or service having at least one dimension defined by an attribute of the product of service; (ii) a rating vector definition comprising at least one rate parameter; (iii) at least one distinct region ( 225 , 230 ) in the rating space ( 205 , 210 ) over which the defined rating vector is invariant; and (iv) in respect of each distinct region from (iii), values ( 235 ) for the at least one rate parameter of the respective rate vector.

17. A method according to claim 16 , further comprising the steps of defining, in the model: (v) at least one category ( 200 ) of the product or service for which a common rating space ( 205 , 210 ) applies; and (vi) at least one rule for selecting an applicable rating space ( 205 , 210 ), from among a plurality of rating spaces ( 205 , 210 ) defined in the model, to be applied in respect of the at least one category ( 200 ) defined in (v).

18. A method according to claim 17 , further comprising the steps of defining, in the model: (vii) a reference to a formula ( 220 ) for use in calculating an output ( 110 ) in respect of the at least one category ( 200 ) identified in step (v), the formula ( 220 ) being a function of at least one unspecified dimension and at least one rate parameter; and (viii) in respect of the at least one category ( 200 ) defined in (v), an association ( 210 ) between the at least one unspecified dimension in the formula ( 220 ) and a dimension for the applicable rating space ( 205 , 210 ).

19. A method according to claim 18 , further comprising the step of defining, in the model: (ix) an association between the at least one rate parameter in the formula ( 220 ) and a rate parameter ( 235 ) of the rating vector defined for the applicable rating space ( 205 , 210 ).

20. A method for determining the utilisation of a resource in respect of an instance of a product or service with reference to a rate model generated for the product or service by the method of claim 17 , comprising the steps of: (i) receiving ( 105 ) data defining an instance of the product or service; (ii) identifying a distinct region ( 225 , 230 ) in a rating space ( 205 , 210 ) for the product or service containing the defined instance received ( 105 ) at step (i); (iii) identifying the invariant rating vector ( 235 ) applicable to the identified region ( 225 , 230 ); (iv) identifying a formula ( 220 ) to be applied to instances of the product or service; and (v) inputting the at least one rate parameter value ( 235 ) of the invariant rating vector and the received data ( 105 ) defining the instance into the formula ( 220 ) to calculate ( 100 ) the utilisation of the resource for the instance of the product or service.